When the 1991 Oakland Hills fire raged through Diana Graham's former neighborhood, she was taken by complete surprise. She lost everything she owned as the blaze claimed her home.

Now, the Moraga resident and volunteer with the Red Cross disaster preparedness program wants to ensure residents of her town and others around Contra Costa County have plans in place to act fast in any emergency -- and she thinks the upcoming National Night Out is a prime venue for doing that.

"You can't be in denial anymore. These things can happen to you and a little forward planning can make a huge difference in the outcome," Graham said.

Along with learning how to prevent crime in their neighborhoods, Lamorinda residents are also being encouraged to form neighborhood evacuation plans and brainstorm for different emergency scenarios during National Night Out on Aug. 5.

This is National Night Out's 31st year, and the first time Lamorinda's three communities have coordinated to hold their events on the same night, in hopes of engaging more residents.

Nearly 38 million people in more than 16,000 communities across the U.S. are expected to gather on the first Tuesday in August for outdoor block parties, barbecues and ice cream socials with their neighbors.

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In Walnut Creek, police ask that between 5:30 and 9 p.m. that evening, residents in neighborhoods throughout the city lock their doors, turn on their outside lights and spend the evening on porches, lawns, and front steps talking with neighbors and police officers. Neighborhood Watch groups are also encouraged to plan special events, such as potlucks, block parties, ice cream socials, and the like.

Police department representatives will be visiting Walnut Creek neighborhoods during that time, talking to residents about watching out for themselves and for each other, preparing for problems big and small.

In Moraga, Graham said, "We don't have as much contact with our neighbors in some areas and this is an opportunity to do something intentional to help you find out who your neighbors are and help you be more aware of what's going on in your community."

Plus, she added, it's a lot of fun.

For many Lamorinda residents, however, crime prevention will still be the top priority this National Night Out. A spate of high-profile, daytime burglaries in recent weeks have put many on edge and ready to take steps to increase public safety.

"I knew there had been burglaries in the past several years since I've lived in Orinda but it just seems that the frequency is increasing and the nature of them is more brazen," said Mark Veverka, who has become active in educating his neighbors about crime concerns and prevention.

Another Orinda resident, whose house has been broken into a handful of times over the past 20 years, said, "I would bet there is not one person in Orinda that hasn't known someone who has had something broken, stolen or taken from them."

Veverka and others are forming neighborhood communication networks and have begun to research following other Bay Area cities' leads by installing surveillance cameras on heavily trafficked roads throughout Orinda.

Part deterrent and part crime-fighting tool, the cameras would take photographs of each passing vehicle and its license plate. Initial estimates put the cost between $3,750 and $5,700 per unit, and a community meeting is scheduled for July 28 to discuss the idea.

But despite public perception, statistics provided by the Sheriff's Department show residential burglaries in Orinda have decreased in recent months.

The city recorded 11 such crimes in June 2013, compared with just five in June 2014.

And in the final six months of 2013, 39 burglaries were reported; in the first six months of 2014, there were 21.

Orinda Police Chief Mark Nagel said he believes what is different is increased communication and awareness among residents, as well as a new push by law enforcement to get the word out about crimes in real-time, using social media tools.

Residents are now encouraged to stay in touch with neighbors via Nextdoor.com, receive real-time crime alerts from Nixle.com, and email in tips directly to the police department.

That's a big shift from the old weekly crime blotter, said Nagel, who took over as the city's top cop in February.

"I'm putting out there what we're doing, what we're seeing, almost as it's happening, which is new for Orinda," he said.

Walnut Creek and Lamorinda residents interested in holding National Night Out events in their neighborhoods should contact their local police departments for more information.